Absorption of Staphylococcus Bacteriophages

Abstract

In a series of papers beginning in 1933 Levine and Frisch have affirmed that extracts derived from susceptible cultures of Salmonella block the lytic activity of bacteriophages active against that group of bacteria. These investigations have been confirmed by Burnet (1934), utilizing organisms and phages belonging to the same group as well as several strains of Shigella. These extracts apparently reflect quite accurately those surface antigenic components responsible for bacteriophage absorption on living and heat-killed susceptible cultures.In the course of our studies with staphylococcus bacteriophages we have been struck by the fact that these phages are exceedingly difficult to isolate from sources rich in phages for members of the enteric group. It may very well be that one of the factors con-

The Absorption of Bacteriophage by Sensitized Enterococci

“…However, the addition of a small quantity of broth or serum (diluted 1:160) "protected" the phage and little or no diminution was observed. These findings appear to be at variance with the Rakieten, Rakieten, and Doff (1936) who state that ". .…”

“…The same serum, however, still retains its ability to combine with the homologous organism, Z-11, and prevents phage absorption. Again one may TUBE NUMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 According to Burnet (1934) and Rakieten et al (1936), when watery extracts of organisms which have a phage-inactivating ability ("PIA") are placed in association with homologous immune serum and the resulting precipitate removed, the supernatants no longer possess this phage-inactivating ability. In the following experiment we investigated the phage-absorbing power of such a watery extract prepared from one of the strains of enterococci before and after the extract had been placed in contact with immune serum.…”

Isolation and Characteristics of Bacteriophages for Staphylococci of Bovine Mastitis

“…Absorption tests were carried out, both with heat-killed cultures and their water extracts, using the methods of Rakieten et al (1936), Rakieten and Tiffany (1938) and Levine and Frisch (1933). The results in general confirmed the established view that absorption preliminary to lysis is a function of the heatstable surface antigen.…”

Bacteriophage inhibition by extracts from phage-insensitive bacteria of the genusPseudomonas

“…The correlation among related bacteria between phage susceptibility and possession of a common antigen noticed first by Hadley (1926) and repeatedly confirmed, led Burnet (1927Burnet ( , 1929Burnet ( , 1930 to suggest that attachment of phages to bacteria takes place through the specific surface antigen. Support for this suggestion came first from the many instances in which bacteria lose their susceptibility to one or more phages when undergoing the S->R transformation, and secondly from the discovery by Levine & Frisch (1933), soon extended by other workers, that extracts from susceptible bacteria could in many cases protect these organisms from certain types of phage Gough & Burnet, 1934;Bruce White, 1936;Rakieten, Rakieten & Doff, 1936;Beumer, 1947;Miller & Goebel, 1949;Goebel, 1950). Andrewes & Elford (1933) postulated that the bacteriophage surface consists of a mosaic of antigenic components and bacteriotropic components.…”